In this conversation, I speak with J.S. Park.
His posts and words have, at times, moved me to tears. It was such a pleasure to speak with him about work, life, death, birth, grief and bulgogi!
More specifically, we talk about:
- his journey to becoming a chaplain
- climbing mount assimilation and what gets lost
- what he means about being therapriest
- what got him into consistent therapy and medication
- suicide and his attempt 20 years ago. CONTENT WARNING. it's between minutes 12 and 28.
- the birth of his second child
- people's misunderstandings about grief.
Joon has a new book, As Long as You Need, coming out April 2024. You can pre-order your copy here. And, if you are like me who likes to listen to books, I am so glad he is recording the audio for it because his voice, like his words, are a balm.
J.S. Park (he/him) is a hospital chaplain, author, and online educator. For eight years he has been an interfaith chaplain at a 1000-plus bed hospital that is designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. His role includes grief counseling, attending every death, every trauma and Code Blue, staff care, and supporting end-of-life care. He also served for three years as a chaplain at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.
J.S. has a MDiv completed in 2010 and a BA in Psychology. He also has a sixth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. J.S. currently lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and his three-year-old daughter and their adopted dog. They are expecting another child, their son. @JSPark3000
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please share it with a trusted person or call 988 or text 741741.